NOVEL NEXT Chapter 245
Episode 245. Foundation Seoul Branch IT Support Team (1)
There are many difficult and socially essential jobs in the world. Soldiers, deep-sea welders, sewer divers, or crew members on crab fishing boats. Or…
“There’s a problem, right?”
This is Kim Do-su. A master’s degree in computer science. He’s the IT Support Team Leader at the Foundation’s Seoul Branch.
You might think the IT Support Team at the Seoul Branch isn’t particularly dangerous. But no. The Foundation is full of all kinds of lunatics.
Today’s first complaint.
“Yes. I’m on my way. Where is it?”
“The Large-Scale Containment Room.”
Oh dear.
The support team sighed. Whatever the issue, if there’s an electronic malfunction in the Large-Scale Containment Room, it’s not going to be easy to fix.
“Oh no.”
The IT support team walked to the Large-Scale Containment Room with grim expressions. The door to the room was slightly ajar, and strange noises were coming from inside.
Is the door not closing…? That’s why there’s a catwalk above the Large-Scale Containment Room area. Walking in there is dangerous.
“Ah, you’re here. Dr. Kim.”
“It’s Master’s degree.”
One of the doctors from the Large-Scale Containment Department looked at the support team. Today’s protagonist, Mr. Kim, sighed deeply. His gut feeling wasn’t good.
“Yes, Mr. Kim. There’s an error in the internal control panel, so the door won’t close. The necessary control systems aren’t functioning either.”
“What should I do?”
“Someone needs to go in… and fix it.”
Mr. Kim sighed deeply again.
“What should I do?”
“It’s fine now because it’s sleeping.”
Wow. The monster’s sleeping? If the monster’s sleeping, it should be fine. Just tiptoe in, fix the control panel, and get out.
Mr. Kim held his forehead, and the researcher continued.
“Well, it’s not easy… What’s the monster inside? Is it dangerous?”
“We fed it a cow yesterday, so it should be fine today.”
One hurdle after another.
The support team scratched their heads awkwardly.
“Are you joking?”
“Ah. One more thing. We’ve pumped gaseous anesthetic inside, so you’ll need to take a pill antidote and wear a gas mask.”
“Are you trying to kill me?”
“We fed it yesterday and put it to sleep with anesthetic, so it should be fine. Just go in, fix the control panel error, and come out.”
Now, he had to enter a containment room filled with toxic gas, wearing a gas mask, avoid a monster that could eat a cow, fix a computer, and get out.
This is too much.
“Is this really the best option?”
“It’s not dangerous.”
It seems dangerous. But there weren’t many options. If the containment officer says it’s safe, then it’s safe. The door is only slightly open now, but if it opens completely, it could be a disaster.
“Can’t we just kill it?”
“No. It’s a monster we need to study.”
Mr. Kim sighed.
The researchers in the containment room looked uneasy, and the IT support team began discussing. Fixing it isn’t the hard part.
“Uh, Team Leader. You’re not going to do it, right?”
“What do you mean not do it? I’ll go alone.”
“Gasp.”
“Stay up here. One death is already too many.”
Despite the team’s protests, Team Leader Kim Do-su grabbed his toolbox and headed to the containment room door. If it has to be done, it has to be done. What else can you do?
He’s doomed to die young.
Kim Do-su squeezed through the gap in the containment room door and tiptoed quietly toward the control panel, as he had sarcastically mentioned earlier.
It didn’t really matter. The sound of the protective suit rustling was much louder than his footsteps. But if he took off the suit, he’d collapse immediately.
– Even though the gaseous anesthetic in the containment room is supposed to be inhaled, it can also be absorbed through thin skin near the groin. Especially for men.
Ah, life is tough. Anyway.
Today’s protagonist spread out his tools and began working on the control panel. This is why electronically controlled machines are dangerous.
You can’t predict errors.
If Mr. Kim had designed the Large-Scale Containment Room, he would’ve made it controlled by chains and pulleys instead of electronic panels.
Or, like a classic car, a system that operates purely mechanically without electronic equipment. Just use a diesel engine to open and close the door.
The sound of metal clashing made the monster lying next to Mr. Kim stir. What kind of monster is that? It looks like a dinosaur.
No. It’s more like a giant bird.
“Grrk. Grrrk.”
The monster trapped in the containment room might’ve been eagerly waiting for a tasty computer science major to come in.
Debugging complete.
Ding!
The control panel made a clear sound. Wait, who installed a speaker on the control panel in a monster’s room? Lunatics.
Ding!
How do you turn off the sound? You can’t just smash it. The monster, resembling a giant peacock, stirred a bit more upon hearing the noise.
Mr. Kim restored the door through the control panel.
‘Wait. If I restore the door…’
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
The containment room’s large door began closing with the sound of a truck backing up. Restoring the door means it’ll close. That’s obvious.
Kim Do-su pressed his temples. Once the door fully closes, it won’t open again for a while. Ah, I don’t even want to live.
Thud!
The Large-Scale Containment Room door closed.
Kim Do-su kicked the monster’s leg, which was a pile of feathers. Of course, he shouldn’t have done that, but people sometimes act irrationally.
“Hey. Wake up.”
The monster lying on the floor didn’t wake up. The researcher’s words seemed to be true. It really was safe.
“Sigh. I can’t even die on my own terms.”
Our protagonist quickly gathered his tools and left the Large-Scale Containment Room. Ah, I don’t want to go to work. I won’t get the death compensation today either.
Kim Do-su lay down in the IT support team’s break room. He almost died from the tension. The fact that the researcher was right and the monster wasn’t dangerous was more absurd than not dying.
“Ah, Team Leader.”
“What.”
This is Lee Yoon-seo. Mr. Lee.
Also part of the IT support team, with a unique background: a high school graduate and orphan. He was scouted by the Foundation from a vocational high school specializing in computers.
No one knows why they brought him in. Maybe they needed someone who wouldn’t be missed much if they died.
“Another complaint came in.”
“I just fought a T-Rano.”
“A T-Rano?”
“There’s one in the Large-Scale Containment Room.”
“Team Leader, you must not look tasty… But this time, you really need to come. There’s a security error with an Administrator-Level Restricted Document.”
Today’s protagonist’s eyes widened.
“Listen carefully. Administrator-Level classified documents can play videos that can kill or injure people if accessed through the wrong channels.”
“Why…?”
Why? Because they’re psychopaths, that’s why.
Kim Do-su got up from his seat.
Even Foundation executives don’t get hurt if they accidentally watch those videos. Maybe they’re immune to harmful information pathogens or something.
“Go get a bucket of saltwater.”
The office where the error occurred was empty. People in white coats were gathered in the hallway. At least they escaped before passing out.
“Is it here?”
“Yes.”
“How did someone even try to access an Administrator-Level classified document? How did they succeed?”
“They pressed the wrong button.”
Does that even make sense? But you should never underestimate the power of coincidence and stupidity. If something sounds too stupid to be true, it probably is.
“Alright. That computer’s the problem, right?”
“Yes.”
Ugh. We’ll deal with that later. Team Leader Kim Do-su put on an eye mask, inserted noise-canceling AirPods, and played a song as loud as possible.
The strategy was this.
Close your eyes, cover your ears, and walk into the office. You should be able to make it to the computer alive.
Then, just take control of the computer.
Team Leader Kim Do-su felt his way along the wall to the problematic computer. The monitor was vibrating. It was probably playing that dangerous video.
He was curious, but not curious enough to get hurt. Maybe even this curiosity was planted by that dangerous video.
Our protagonist, with his eyes closed, unplugged all the cables connected to the monitor. He fiddled with the computer tower and unplugged those cables too.
Still blindfolded, Kim Do-su moved the tower and monitor to the floor. Time to finish this. The team leader raised a hammer with both hands and smashed the monitor. Bang! Bang! Bang!
Next, the tower.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
That should’ve destroyed it. Kim Do-su took a blanket from his pocket, wrapped the remains of the tower and monitor, and removed his eye mask and AirPods.
No sound at all.
Team Leader Kim Do-su carried the bundle out and dunked the computer’s remains and blanket into the bucket of saltwater. That should neutralize the threat.
“Is it safe now?”
“Yes.”
“Where’s the computer?”
“Uh, sorry. I crushed it and soaked it in water. Just looking at it could kill you.”
The white-collar workers scratched their heads, but the team leader just left with the bucket.